31.3.14

Going Organic

Kay Lawrence's 'Day by Day' is an ode to the dedication needed for a kantha style quilt with an accompanying journal

The act of methodically stitch is not that radically different to writing. One word, one stitch after another to create a whole. Given that we do both, it was no wonder we loved the new show Organic Intimacy at Stephen McLaughlan Gallery.

Sara Lindsay acts as both curator and artist with her clever work

Tucked up in the Nicholas Building you have to really keep track of what is going on up there because the shows are often so quiet they slip in and out without us knowing. To my mind a textile based exhibition curated by textile artist Sara Lindsay should have a little more fanfare.

The makers involved have created work of great delicacy, thought and finish. There is no rough and ready slapdash woolly tomfoolery on show here. It doesn't have the joy or playfulness of that sort of work. As a viewer you need to take your time, there is no 'speed reading' possible here.

Claire Collett's piece was delicate and robust at the same time, capturing the stitch as strength in her well balanced work

Accompanying the work is a fantastic essay by artist Ruth Hadlow that provides rich insight to the painstaking process of creating art with a needle and thread. It takes complete dedication to both process and end point. No one could accuse this group of artists taking any short cuts.

Michele Eliot adds sophisticated concepts to upcycling gifted clothes

Ema Shin's delicate woodblock and stitched work is seductive and serene

The over all palette is cool and serene, there are no neon triangles to wage war on the senses. Don't get us wrong, we love neon triangles (in fact I'm wearing one right now) but what we are after from textile based art on show is balance. We want to see it all, and it was refreshing to find work that spoke so articulately about the connections between stitch thought and word.

Ooops -- I have never even heard of that gallery! Will head up there today. There is A LOT to be said for work that doesn't take short cuts or contain neon triangles. Something to keep in mind while doing one's own work.....Sending you love and the bestest of thoughts and wishes xxx